Watch



L. RIOHEL (No Model.)

WATCH.

No. 567,510. Patented Sept. 8, 1896.

UNITED STATES P-ATENT"'@FFICE.

I JOUIS RICHE, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

WATCH.

sPEc IFIoATIoNrermin part of Letters Patent No. 567,510, dated September 8, 1896. Application filed February 23, 1893. $eria1No. 463,477. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LOUIS RICI-IE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in \Vatch-liovements, of which the fol-.

lowing is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention consists in the peculiar construction of the actuating 1nechanism,whereby the train of gears between the barrel and the escapement-wheel is simplified and improved, and, further, whereby the actuating mechanism for the seconds-hand is likewise simplified and improved, and whereby in the same movement the seconds-hand may be placed either in line with the winding stem or at right angles thereto without changing the movement.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of the movement with the rear plate removed, showing the barrel and the connections from the barrel to the escapement-wheel, the balance-wheel being indicated in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the movement, illustrating'the manner of driving the minutehand. Fig. 3 is a section on line 00 as, Fig.1. Fig. 4: is a section on y y, Fig: 1. Fig. 5 is an elevation similar to Fig. 2, but showing it as arranged fora stop-watch. Fig. 6 is a section on line 2 2, Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is an enlarged elevation of the resetting-lever.

A is the watch-movement. A is the barrel, which contains the usual spring.

A is the windin gshaft for the spring. (Not shown.) B is a worm gear-wheel formed upon the periphery of the barrel and meshing with the worm-gear 0, formed at one end of the horizontal shaft B. This shaft is journaled in suitable pillar-blocks at each end, andat the end which carries the worm C the pillar-block is supported in a spring-arn1 V, which may be adjusted to or from the worm gear-wheel by means of a set-screw U. By this means the worm and gear are brought into proper mesh.

0 is a worm gear-wheel secured to the shaft 13 at the end opposite from that which carries the worm O, and this worm-wheel meshes with a worm E, formed upon the shaft of the escapement-wheel D.

F is an escapement-lever. The escapement Wheel and lever are of known and usual construction. Thus it will be seen that I employ a direct connection from the barrel to the escapement-wheel, comprising only the worm C, the worm gear-wheel O, and the worm E, forming a most positive and direct connection, dispensing with several wheels as compared with the ordinary train of gearing, and also enabling me by the means described to adjust the speed of the timepiece quite accurately. The escapement-wheel is provided with any of the usual adjusting means.

0 is a gear-wheel upon the lower end of the shaft of the escapement-wheel, as shown in Figs. 2 and 7. This gear-wheel I employ to drive the gear P, which actuates the secondshand, and this gear-wheel O is so located that the gear-wheel P may be arranged on either side thereof by supporting it either in the plate Q or the plate R. Thus without chang ing the movement, but simply changing the location of the gear-wheel P, I am enabled to place the seconds-hand either in line with the winding-shaft P, as in open-face watches, or at right angles thereto, as in hunting-case watches.

In case the watch is to be used as a stopwatch the gear-wheels O and P are preferably made beveled, as shown, and suitable mechanism is employed to raise and lower the gear-wheel P into and out of engagement with the pinions O, of the following construction:

a is a bifurcated spring-arm engaging between collars on the shaft 1) of the gear-wheel P and acting with its tension to normally hold that gear-wheel in engagement with the pinion O.

The spring-arm is provided with. a corrugation or shoulder c. (Shown in Fig. 6.)

dis a bent lever actuated by a spring 6 and controlled by a step-Wheel f. This isactuated by a spring-pawl engaging a ratchet-wheel h on the arbor of the step-wheel f, the pawl 9 being actuated by a lever 7 The parts being thus constructed and in the position shown in Fig. 6, in which the arm j of the lever d engages a step it of the stepwheel f, allowing the opposite end of the lever 61 to bear upon the corrugation c on the spring a, forcing the spring down and drawing the gear-wheel downward out of engagement with the pinion and stops the secondshand at the desired point.

To start the seconds-hand again, the operator, desiring to first move it to zero and stop it there, presses on the lever 2', which through the connection described will turn the stepwheel f and allow the arm j of the lever d to enter the step Z, when the spring Q will force the lever (Z inward, and, striking against the heart-shaped cam on on the shaft 1), will turn that shaft until the point of the lever engages the notch n,locking the wheel and the secondshand at zero, as shown in Fig. 7.

Now to start the watch to time any event the operator again presses on the lever 7;, which throws the arm j of the lever cl upon the step 0 of the step-wheel, withdrawing the lever, no on y fr m e g gemen with e not h but also withdrawing it from the corrugation c of the spring-arm a. That spring-arm will immediately throw the gear-wheel in engagem with he p n on and star the sec ds.- hand'.

It will beseen that my seconds-hand is entirely independent of the train of gear which actuates the hands which are shown in Figs.

sis-1,5 0

2 and 4m The hand-actuating gears are driven from the sleeve 1, Fig. 4, which is secured to the barrel A, and upon which are secured the gear wheel and pinion K, Fig. a, suitable gears connecting with this gear and pinion for driving the minute and hour hands, respectively.

The winding and setting mechanism from the stem P may be of any suitable construction.

What I claim as my invention is In awatch-movement the combination with a spring-barrel having a worm-gear thereon, of a shaft at. right angles to the axis of the barrel having a worm thereon, a support for the shaft comprising a spring-arm as V, the set-screw U for adjusting the shaft relative to the gear, a scapewheel and an actuating connection between the shaft and scape-wheel shaft, substantially as. described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence. of two Witnesses.

LOUIS RI'OIIE. Vitnesses:

N. L. LINDOR, M. 13. ODQGHERTY. 

